Metal railroad-tie and means for connecting the rails thereto.



P'ATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

I. H. SMITH & J. H. MoKEE. METAL RAILROAD TIE AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE RAILS THERETO.

APPLIOATIQN FILED FEB. 5, 1901. RENEWED OCT. 24. 1902.

No. 731,238. v I

N0 MODEL.

- abl o'wwa o UNITED STATES Patented Tune 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK H. SMITH AND JOHN H. MCKEE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,238, dated June 16, 1903. Application filed February 5, 1901- Renewed October 24, 1902. Serial No, 128,665. (No model.)

To allwhom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, FREDERICK H. SMITH and JOHN H. MOKEE, citizens of the'United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of. O0lorado,.have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Railroad-Ties and'Means for Connecting the Rails Thereto; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth: ers skilled in-the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to metallic railroadties and means for connecting rails thereto.

The object of the invention is to provide means of this character which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,-which,will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of our improved metallic railroad-tie, showing a section of a rail'secured to one end of the tie. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line m m, Fig. 1; andFig. 3 is a top plan view illustrating the invention applied as a rail-joint.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 denotes a metallic tie consisting of a plate 2, with marginal dependingside flanges 3 and end flanges 4. The plate 2 near each end has struck up from. it inwardly-projecting tongues 5,.which are adapted'to hook over the base of the rail, and said plate is provided with apertures 6, located at a point near the center of the rail. 7 denotes a fastening device which consists of a rod S, having an outwardly-projecting shank or'neck 9, preferably polygonal in crosssection and provided with a head 10 of greater width than the aperture 6. The outer end of each shank extends through the perforation 11 of the flange 4 and is formed with screwthreads 12 to receive abinding-nut 13. In assembling the parts the rod 8 is passed through first the aperture 6 and then through the aperture 11 of the flange 4. The rail is then placedupon the tie in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Now by applying'the nut to invention used as a rail-joint.

the screw-threaded end of the rod the parts are firmly clamped together, the tongue 5 en'- gaging the upper side of the base of the rail at one edge and the head 10 of the shank engaging'the upper side of the flange of the rail at the opposite edge. In this position the rail is securely locked to the tie.

In referring to Fig. 3 we have shown our The plate a corresponds tothe plate 2'of Fig. 2. The

flange b corresponds to the flange 4 of Fig. 2

and is provided with an aperture 0, which corresponds to the aperturell in Fig. 2. The plate is provided with lips d, which correspond to the lips 5 of Fig. 2, and is provided with slot 6, which corresponds to the aperture 6 "of Fig. 2. The'plate a, is bolted or otherwise secured to the tie, and the abutting ends of the-railsare firmly secured to this plate by the fastening device f, which in construction is the same as the part numbered 8 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Thedevice shown in Fig. 3 just described may be used in connection with two worn-out rails, thusv making a complete solid metallic tie, or the device may housed in connection with wooden ties or with'old Worn-out rails when used as ties, or, if desired, it may be used as a rail-divider for switches."

From the foregoing des cription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, modeof operation, and advantages'of our invention will be readily understood without requiring a more 'entend'ed explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a plate having a narrow aperture and provided with an overhanging lip, of a depending flange, said flange formed with an aperture, and a rod consisting of a horizontal portion having o'neend screw-threaded which projects through the aperture of the flange and provided atits-o'pposite end with a vertical rigid neck portion which projects upwardly from the narrow aperture and terminates in a rigid head which our hands in presence of two subscribing witprojects into engagement with the base of the nesses. rail and is of less area than the aperture FREDERICK H. SMITH. through which the neck projects, and a nut JOHN H. MGKEE.

5 engaged with the screw-threaded end of the Witnesses:

rod, substantially as set forth. CHARLES H. THOMPSON,

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set HIRAM W. CLARK. 

